In the new romantic comedy A Family Affair, Hollywood A-listers Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron spark a surprising connection on screen. Directed by Richard LaGravenese and written by Carrie Solomon, the 2024 film explores a love story that defies conventional expectations. Kidman takes on the role of a mature woman who finds herself drawn to Chris Cole, a charming younger man played by Efron. This unconventional age difference is a central theme of the film, with some characters questioning the validity of such a romance. In an interview with PEOPLE, Nicole Kidman addressed the age-gap theme in the movie.
What Did Nicole Kidman Say About The Age-Gap Romance?
The new Netflix rom-com, A Family Affair, features a sizzling on-screen romance between Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron. Kidman, a seasoned actress at 57, finds herself drawn to the character of Efron, a young and self-centered movie star (36 years old) in the film. This significant age difference mirrors their real-life counterparts. Kidman was born in 1967, while Efron entered the world two decades later in 1987.
In an interview, Kidman and Efron discussed their experience working together and the importance of portraying diverse love stories on screen.
Addressing the issue of double standards in cinema, Nicole Kidman expressed to People, “We’ve had it from way back with older men and younger women, that’s just always been the norm — it’s okay, it’s completely acceptable.” She highlighted the lack of similar narratives from diverse perspectives, particularly with women telling their stories.
Kidman praised Efron for embracing the role of her love interest, stating, “And we need game men. [Zac] came in and makes the film because he was like, ‘I’m here to have fun, to play, and to very much be a part of this and be there for you,’ for both Joey and I.“
Discussing their intimate scenes, the Just Go With It actress remarked, “It’s really helpful when you’re doing this sort of work together that you’ve already got a history together, because it’s easy. You’re not working to create a history. So I’m not like, ‘Can I touch you?’ I feel incredibly trusting of Zac.” Zac Efron concurred, adding, “We both feel safe, and we take care of each other.”
This film isn’t the first collaboration between both. In the 2012 movie The Paperboy, they played a couple with unresolved romantic tension. At that time, Zac was 24, and Nicole was 45. Reflecting on working with Nicole Kidman, Efron told People, “I’m still so enamored with Nicole.”
Zac concluded by sharing, “There’s a part of me that pinches myself when I realize who I’m working with a lot. I think that was more pronounced during ‘The Paperboy’ because I was a lot younger. I was very nervous back then.“
What is A Family Affair About?
In the movie A Family Affair, Zara, a young woman, serves as Chris Cole’s personal assistant for the past two years. Cole is an extremely high-maintenance and self-obsessed person. Zara’s world completely collapses when she discovers her mother Brooke having an affair with Chris, and she tries everything in her power to end their relationship. Zara turns to her grandmother (Bates) for comfort, and she tries to teach her that mothers are also human.
The film’s official synopsis from Netflix reads:
“When Zara (Joey King) quits her job as the personal assistant to Hollywood heartthrob Chris Cole (Zac Efron), she unwittingly sets the stage for a chance encounter between Chris and her famous writer mom, Brooke (Nicole Kidman). It’s only a matter of hours before Brooke and Chris realize they have an undeniable chemistry, which leads to laugh-out-loud consequences as Zara’s egocentric boss attempts to woo her incredulous mother. This multigenerational, coming-of-age romantic comedy follows each character as they face the tangled complications of love, sex, and identity.“
A Family Affair is directed by Richard LaGravenese, whose previous films include Freedom Writers, Behind the Candelabra, and Beautiful Creatures.
A Family Affair is streaming on Netflix
Watch the trailer below:
